Biography of Helen Paul
Helen Eniola Omonitan Paul popularly known as Helen Paul is a famous Nigerian stand up comedienne, singer, actress and entrepreneur. The combination of intellect and artistry has enable her gain the title “queen of Nigerian comedy”. She is the first Nigerian comedian to bag a PhD in Theatre Arts from the University of Lagos.
Early life and background of Helen Paul
Helen Paul was born on the 29th of January, 1978 in Lagos, Nigeria. Raised by her grandmother, Helen had her primary education at Omiyade school in Fadeyi, Lagos state. For her secondary school education, she attended two high schools in Yaba and Maryland before completing her education at Bejide Memorial College, Ojo, same Lagos state. After obtaining her secondary school certificate, she proceeded to earn a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts in 2010, Master’s degree in 2012 and a Ph.D degree also in Theatre Arts, all from the University of Lagos. She also holds other certifications from reputable institutions; Certificate in Media Enterprise from the School of Media and Communications, Pan-African University and a Basic Presentation Certificate from the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
Her Rise to Fame
Being a hardworking and talented person, she has explored the different areas of entertainment industry. Helen Paul started out as a front desk manager at the Eko FM studio. Afterwards, she became a back-up singer and voice-over artiste. Having a noticeable child-like voice, she has done radio jingles for companies and brands including Peak Milk, Indomie Noodles and Cowbell Milk. She also collaborated with professional artistes and music groups like Yinka Davies, Infinity, Olufunmi and P-Square on several music projects. She once stated that doing the intro in P-Square’s Tell us a Story (2005) brought her to limelight. Also, her comic role as Tatafo on Radio Continental 102.3FM, Wetin Dey made her more popular.
Her Comedy Career
She made her foray into comedy while studying at the university. She and her friends attended an event where an entertainer didn’t show up. Her friends proposed that she performs instead and she did well to the delight of everyone. Thereafter, she started getting invites to perform at events. She came across veteran comedians who mentored her on the business side of her talent.
Her Media Experience
Helen Paul has worked as a freelance and full-time presenter at several media houses including Lagos Television (LTV 8), Continental Broadcasting Service (CBS), and MNet (where she currently co-presents JARA on Africa Magic). Her moniker Tatafo came about from a role she played on the radio program Wetin Dey on Radio Continental 102.3FM, Lagos. She acted as a witty and naughty kid who addressed and publicly criticize societal issues. She also anchored programmes on TV Continental and Naija FM 102.7.
Her Music Career
Music has always been a part of Helen Paul. As a child, she sang in the church choir. She became a back-up singer and worked with some artistes before becoming a professional singer. 2012 saw her releasing her debut studio album Welcome Party, which contained Afro-Pop songs such as “Boju Boju”, “Vernacular”, “Gbedu”, “God Forbid”, an Afro RnB song titled “Children of the World“, and “Use Calculator”, a song which addressed the menace of the HIV-AIDs epidemic.
Her Acting Career
Besides being an excellent comedian, Helen Paul has exhibited her acting skills in numerous movies like Damage (2011) The Return of Jennifer (2011) Alakada (2014) Alakada Reloaded (2017).
Her Entrepreneurial Exploits
Aside being adept at comedy, presenting and acting, Tatafo has also proven to be a successful business woman. The media personality established a bridal and fabric boutique in Lagos in 2012, called Massive Fabrics and Bridals. The business was created in an attempt to provide brides with quality and beautiful dresses for their wedding. Massive Bridals’ major branch is located close to her alma mater, Unilag, with three other outlets in different parts of Lagos.
The TV host founded the Helen Paul Theatre and Film Academy in 2014. The institution offers trainings on studio recording, audio production, graphics, editing e.t.c. The trainings are conducted in accordance to the standards of the Federal Ministry of Education and National Board for technical education (NBTE). The platform is an avenue for budding artistes to learn professional skills.
Her Endorsements
The petite comedienne has bagged several endorsements to her credit.
In 2014, she was named an ambassador of Globacom. Subsequently, she has bagged endorsement deals with Harpic, Ajinomoto seasoning and GoTv. She also became an ambassador to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the March 28, 2015 general elections.
Helen Paul’s Relationship and Family Life
Helen is married to Femi Bamisile and they are blessed with children.
In 2019, she took the social media scape by surprise by divulging the circumstance in which she was born. She revealed that she’s a product of rape. She made this known while dedicating her PhD degree to her late mother.
Awards and Nominations
2012 African Film Awards (Afro-Hollywood, UK) – Comedienne of the Year
2012 Exquisite Lady of the Year Award (Exquisite Magazine)– Female TV Presenter of the Year
2014 Exquisite Lady of the Year Award (Nominated)– TV Presenter of the Year (Jara, Africa Magic)
2014 Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards (NBMA) – Outstanding TV presenter (Female) (Entertainment/Talk Show)
2011 City People Entertainment Magazine Award– Female Comedian of the Year
2019 RCCG Teap Teens Conference, Award of Honour
Helen Paul’s Net Worth
Helen Paul ranks as one of the richest and most influential comedians in Nigeria with an estimated net worth of $1 million dollars.
